EP3396397A1 - Brückensensorvorspannung und -wiedergabe - Google Patents

Brückensensorvorspannung und -wiedergabe Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3396397A1
EP3396397A1 EP17168592.8A EP17168592A EP3396397A1 EP 3396397 A1 EP3396397 A1 EP 3396397A1 EP 17168592 A EP17168592 A EP 17168592A EP 3396397 A1 EP3396397 A1 EP 3396397A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
pair
excitation signal
signal
circuit
connection terminals
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Granted
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EP17168592.8A
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP3396397B1 (de
Inventor
Johan Raman
Pieter Rombouts
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Melexis Technologies SA
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Melexis Technologies SA
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Priority to EP17168592.8A priority Critical patent/EP3396397B1/de
Priority to KR1020180038846A priority patent/KR20180121357A/ko
Priority to US15/962,266 priority patent/US11255696B2/en
Priority to CN201810390732.4A priority patent/CN108801298B/zh
Publication of EP3396397A1 publication Critical patent/EP3396397A1/de
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Publication of EP3396397B1 publication Critical patent/EP3396397B1/de
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    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01RMEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
    • G01R33/00Arrangements or instruments for measuring magnetic variables
    • G01R33/0023Electronic aspects, e.g. circuits for stimulation, evaluation, control; Treating the measured signals; calibration
    • G01R33/0029Treating the measured signals, e.g. removing offset or noise
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01DMEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01D3/00Indicating or recording apparatus with provision for the special purposes referred to in the subgroups
    • G01D3/02Indicating or recording apparatus with provision for the special purposes referred to in the subgroups with provision for altering or correcting the law of variation
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01DMEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01D5/00Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member; Means for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for converting; Transducers not specially adapted for a specific variable
    • G01D5/12Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member; Means for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for converting; Transducers not specially adapted for a specific variable using electric or magnetic means
    • G01D5/14Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member; Means for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for converting; Transducers not specially adapted for a specific variable using electric or magnetic means influencing the magnitude of a current or voltage
    • G01D5/16Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member; Means for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for converting; Transducers not specially adapted for a specific variable using electric or magnetic means influencing the magnitude of a current or voltage by varying resistance
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01LMEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE
    • G01L1/00Measuring force or stress, in general
    • G01L1/20Measuring force or stress, in general by measuring variations in ohmic resistance of solid materials or of electrically-conductive fluids; by making use of electrokinetic cells, i.e. liquid-containing cells wherein an electrical potential is produced or varied upon the application of stress
    • G01L1/22Measuring force or stress, in general by measuring variations in ohmic resistance of solid materials or of electrically-conductive fluids; by making use of electrokinetic cells, i.e. liquid-containing cells wherein an electrical potential is produced or varied upon the application of stress using resistance strain gauges
    • G01L1/225Measuring circuits therefor
    • G01L1/2262Measuring circuits therefor involving simple electrical bridges
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01LMEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE
    • G01L9/00Measuring steady of quasi-steady pressure of fluid or fluent solid material by electric or magnetic pressure-sensitive elements; Transmitting or indicating the displacement of mechanical pressure-sensitive elements, used to measure the steady or quasi-steady pressure of a fluid or fluent solid material, by electric or magnetic means
    • G01L9/12Measuring steady of quasi-steady pressure of fluid or fluent solid material by electric or magnetic pressure-sensitive elements; Transmitting or indicating the displacement of mechanical pressure-sensitive elements, used to measure the steady or quasi-steady pressure of a fluid or fluent solid material, by electric or magnetic means by making use of variations in capacitance, i.e. electric circuits therefor
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01RMEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
    • G01R15/00Details of measuring arrangements of the types provided for in groups G01R17/00 - G01R29/00, G01R33/00 - G01R33/26 or G01R35/00
    • G01R15/14Adaptations providing voltage or current isolation, e.g. for high-voltage or high-current networks
    • G01R15/20Adaptations providing voltage or current isolation, e.g. for high-voltage or high-current networks using galvano-magnetic devices, e.g. Hall-effect devices, i.e. measuring a magnetic field via the interaction between a current and a magnetic field, e.g. magneto resistive or Hall effect devices
    • G01R15/202Adaptations providing voltage or current isolation, e.g. for high-voltage or high-current networks using galvano-magnetic devices, e.g. Hall-effect devices, i.e. measuring a magnetic field via the interaction between a current and a magnetic field, e.g. magneto resistive or Hall effect devices using Hall-effect devices
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01RMEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
    • G01R33/00Arrangements or instruments for measuring magnetic variables
    • G01R33/0023Electronic aspects, e.g. circuits for stimulation, evaluation, control; Treating the measured signals; calibration
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01RMEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
    • G01R33/00Arrangements or instruments for measuring magnetic variables
    • G01R33/02Measuring direction or magnitude of magnetic fields or magnetic flux
    • G01R33/06Measuring direction or magnitude of magnetic fields or magnetic flux using galvano-magnetic devices
    • G01R33/07Hall effect devices
    • G01R33/072Constructional adaptation of the sensor to specific applications
    • G01R33/075Hall devices configured for spinning current measurements
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01RMEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
    • G01R33/00Arrangements or instruments for measuring magnetic variables
    • G01R33/02Measuring direction or magnitude of magnetic fields or magnetic flux
    • G01R33/06Measuring direction or magnitude of magnetic fields or magnetic flux using galvano-magnetic devices
    • G01R33/09Magnetoresistive devices
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H03ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03FAMPLIFIERS
    • H03F1/00Details of amplifiers with only discharge tubes, only semiconductor devices or only unspecified devices as amplifying elements
    • H03F1/26Modifications of amplifiers to reduce influence of noise generated by amplifying elements
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H03ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03FAMPLIFIERS
    • H03F1/00Details of amplifiers with only discharge tubes, only semiconductor devices or only unspecified devices as amplifying elements
    • H03F1/30Modifications of amplifiers to reduce influence of variations of temperature or supply voltage or other physical parameters
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01LMEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE
    • G01L9/00Measuring steady of quasi-steady pressure of fluid or fluent solid material by electric or magnetic pressure-sensitive elements; Transmitting or indicating the displacement of mechanical pressure-sensitive elements, used to measure the steady or quasi-steady pressure of a fluid or fluent solid material, by electric or magnetic means
    • G01L9/02Measuring steady of quasi-steady pressure of fluid or fluent solid material by electric or magnetic pressure-sensitive elements; Transmitting or indicating the displacement of mechanical pressure-sensitive elements, used to measure the steady or quasi-steady pressure of a fluid or fluent solid material, by electric or magnetic means by making use of variations in ohmic resistance, e.g. of potentiometers, electric circuits therefor, e.g. bridges, amplifiers or signal conditioning
    • G01L9/06Measuring steady of quasi-steady pressure of fluid or fluent solid material by electric or magnetic pressure-sensitive elements; Transmitting or indicating the displacement of mechanical pressure-sensitive elements, used to measure the steady or quasi-steady pressure of a fluid or fluent solid material, by electric or magnetic means by making use of variations in ohmic resistance, e.g. of potentiometers, electric circuits therefor, e.g. bridges, amplifiers or signal conditioning of piezo-resistive devices

Definitions

  • the invention relates to the field of sensors. More specifically it relates to a circuit and method for biasing of a bridge sensor structure and reading out a signal therefrom, such as for biasing and reading out a Wheatstone bridge or a Hall sensor element.
  • resistive structures such as Hall plates or Wheatstone bridges
  • Wheatstone bridges may be used in pressure sensors, e.g. using piezo-resistive elements.
  • Hall elements may be used for measuring a magnetic field in a current sensor or in an angular position sensor.
  • the passive resistive structures used in such sensors may require the application of an excitation signal, e.g. in the form of a voltage or electrical current, in order to detect an output signal.
  • biasing refers to a process in which such excitation signal, e.g. a voltage or current, is applied
  • readout refers to retrieving a sensor signal from the resistive structure that is indicative of the physical quantity to be detected by the sensor or indicative of an intermediate physical quantity used for determining the physical quantity to be detected.
  • Spinning is a technique used in state-of-the-art sensor biasing and readout methods, e.g. for suppressing or compensating for an offset of the resistive bridge structure, e.g. an offset of a Hall plate.
  • nodes of the resistive structure that were first used for biasing, in combination with reading out a sensor signal from different nodes can thereafter be used for sensing, in combination with biasing different nodes.
  • an excitation signal may alternate between being applied to a first set of nodes and a second set of nodes, while detecting the output signal, e.g. a Hall signal, over the other set of nodes.
  • It is known in the art to implement Hall spinning by abruptly switching a constant bias voltage or current from the first set of nodes to a second set of nodes, while simultaneously using the other set for readout.
  • spinning techniques may be applied for offset compensation of Hall plates.
  • spinning of bridges can be used for implementing a continuous self-testing procedure, e.g. for pressure sensors, such as disclosed in the UK patent application no. GB2489941 .
  • Resistive structures such as Hall plates, may have a significant parasitic capacitance due to a relatively large size of the element. Therefore, the resistive element may behave as an RC circuit, which can limit the dynamic response of the device, thus also limiting the achievable spinning speed. Furthermore, since nodes previously used for biasing can be used for sensing in a following step of applying a spinning technique, a time substantially larger than the RC time constant may be needed to enable the bias voltage to settle to a value that is substantially lower than the biasing voltage, e.g. from a bias voltage of 2V to below 1 ⁇ V. Furthermore, low-noise amplification methods known in the art may require a continuous operation over some time to prevent noise aliasing caused by sampling effects. Therefore, after stabilizing to a low voltage, the output signal must be sensed over a sufficiently large time span, thus further constraining the maximum achievable spinning speed while maintaining noise at an acceptable level.
  • a large bandwidth for the detected signal as function of time may be required.
  • a fast-changing electrical current may be monitored by detecting an associated magnetic field using a Hall sensor.
  • the desirable signal bandwidth may be, for example, of the same order of magnitude as the spinning frequency used to compensate for sensor offsets.
  • flexible digital processing, e.g. post-processing, of the sensor front-end signals may be advantageous.
  • a bridge sensor structure such as a resistive bridge, e.g. a Wheatstone bridge or a Hall plate.
  • node switching in a spinning operation of a resistive bridge sensor structure can occur near a zero crossing of the excitation signal, e.g. of a bias voltage, such that a stabilization time of the readout signal after this switching, e.g. due to a parasitic capacitance of the sensor structure, can be reduced or avoided.
  • the excitation signal e.g. of a bias voltage
  • transient signals between different spinning phases can be avoided or reduced when switching is performed near a zero-crossing of the excitation signal.
  • the resistive bridge sensor structure can be more quickly read out after switching of a set of nodes from an excitation function to a sensing function since less stabilization time is required for avoiding an integration or averaging operation of a monitored readout signal during an uncontrolled transient period, e.g. a time frame after switching in which the readout signal could be characterized by unpredictable and/or stochastic behaviour.
  • fast node switching in a spinning operation of a resistive bridge sensor structure can be achieved, e.g. at switching frequencies in the range of 100 kHz to 50 MHz, e.g. in the range of 500 kHz to 10 MHz, e.g. in the range of 1 MHz to 5 MHz, e.g. about 3 MHz.
  • a low level of readout noise can be achieved using a continuous-time readout front-end, e.g. using integration-based low-noise readout, such as charge integration.
  • a reproducible and/or predictable sensor sensitivity can be achieved, e.g. by preventing, compensating and/or controlling bias-source uncertainties, such as stochastic variation of a voltage or electrical current bias signal, errors from dynamic response limitations and/or a drift in readout interval.
  • bias-source uncertainties such as stochastic variation of a voltage or electrical current bias signal, errors from dynamic response limitations and/or a drift in readout interval.
  • a readout offset of a resistive bridge sensor structure can be controlled, avoided and/or compensated for in a high-speed spinning operation of the sensor structure.
  • the present invention relates to a circuit for biasing a bridge sensor structure, e.g. a resistive bridge sensor structure, and for reading out a sensor signal from the bridge sensor structure.
  • the circuit comprises at least two pairs of connection terminals, in which each pair of connection terminals is adapted for connecting to complementary terminals of the bridge sensor structure.
  • the complementary terminals may refer to opposite contacts of the bridge sensor, e.g. opposite with respect to a center of the bridge, e.g. of a cross-shaped or star-shaped bridge.
  • the circuit further comprises an excitation signal generator for generating an electrical excitation signal for biasing, e.g. for exciting, the bridge sensor structure, in which the excitation signal is generated based on, e.g. provided as, a non-constant periodic continuous function of time.
  • 'Non-constant' may refer to the exclusion of a substantially constant signal, e.g. excluding a signal having no substantial time-dependence.
  • 'Continuous' may refer to the mathematical sense of the term, e.g. such that sufficient small changes in time can result in arbitrarily small changes of the signal value with respect to each point of time.
  • the circuit further comprises an excitation signal generator for generating an electrical excitation signal for biasing, e.g. for exciting, the bridge sensor structure, in which the excitation signal does not change abruptly, e.g. stepwise.
  • the electrical excitation signal may vary less than 50% of its signal range in any time window that has a duration of less than 25% of the period of the periodic function, e.g. less than 25% in any time window having a duration of less than 15% of the period, e.g. less than 20% in any time window having a duration of less than 5% of the period.
  • the circuit also comprises a detection circuit for obtaining the sensor signal from the bridge sensor structure by electrically connecting the detection circuit to any pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals while applying the excitation signal to another pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals.
  • the circuit comprises a switch unit for switching the electrical excitation signal generated by the excitation signal generator from being supplied to a first pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals to another pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals and for switching the detection circuit from being connected to a second pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals to another pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals.
  • the circuit furthermore comprises a controller for controlling the switch unit to switch the first pair from being connected to the excitation signal generator at an instant in time when the excitation signal generator generates the excitation signal in a predetermined signal range, in which range the excitation signal value is substantially equal to a zero reference value.
  • the controller may comprise a comparator and/or an analog to digital converter to detect when the excitation signal is in the predetermined signal range.
  • the controller may be adapted for predicting a time at which the excitation signal value is in the predetermined signal range.
  • the non-constant periodic continuous function may be differentiable, continuously differentiable and/or smooth.
  • References to 'differentiable,' 'continuously differentiable' and 'smooth' may be interpreted in the mathematical sense of such terms.
  • the excitation signal generator may be adapted for generating a sinusoidal electrical current waveform and/or a sinusoidal voltage waveform, and/or a combination of at least two sinusoidal electrical current or voltage waveforms, e.g. A 1 .cos ( ⁇ 1 *t+c 1 )+ A 2 .cos( ⁇ 2 *t+c 2 ), where A 1 and A 2 are amplitudes, ⁇ 1 and ⁇ 2 are angular frequencies and c 1 and c 2 are phase constants.
  • the excitation signal generator may be adapted for generating the electrical excitation signal in the form of two complementary voltages, e.g. such that the sum of these complementary voltages is substantially constant, e.g. is constant.
  • the controller may be adapted for detecting each zero-crossing of a differential voltage signal, at which zero-crossing the absolute value of the difference between the two complementary voltages is zero or, alternatively, less than a predetermined tolerance threshold, e.g. such that the absolute value of the differential voltage signal is less than the predetermined tolerance threshold at the zero-crossing.
  • the switch unit and the controller may be adapted for applying the two complementary voltages to a selected pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals, where the selected pair for applying the excitation signal is changed at a predetermined zero-crossing of the detected zero-crossings, e.g. by the switch unit as controlled by the controller, thus iterating over a plurality of spinning phases delimited in time by the detected zero-crossings or a subset of the detected zero-crossings.
  • each detected zero-crossing may mark a next spinning phase, or each spinning phase may comprise the same number of consecutive detected zero-crossings.
  • the spinning phases may be repeatedly iterated over in the same order.
  • the at least two pairs of connection terminals may consist of two pairs of connection terminals for connecting respectively to two node pairs of the bridge sensor structure, in which the switch unit and the controller are adapted for exchaning connections of the pairs of connection terminals to the excitation signal generator and the detection circuit such that the excitation signal is alternatingly applied to each node pair while sensing the sensor signal via the other pair.
  • the detection circuit may be adapted for obtaining the sensor signal in the form of a Hall plate readout signal from the bridge sensor structure in the form of a Hall element, in which the instant in time when the controller controls the switching of the switch unit corresponds to an instant in time when a voltage over the first pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals is substantially equal to zero.
  • the electrical current supplied to the first pair of connection terminals as excitation signal may be substantially equal to a zero current in the predetermined signal range.
  • the detection circuit may comprise a low noise amplifier for amplifying the sensor signal.
  • the detection circuit may comprise a continuous-time integrator or averager for integrating or averaging the sensor signal, in which the continuous time integrator or averager may be adapted for providing an output signal representative of a continuous-time integral or average of a momentary differential voltage signal over the pair of connection terminals connected to the detection circuit.
  • the circuit may comprise an excitation integrator and/or excitation averager for determining an average bias current and/or a total charge flowing through the pair of connection terminals connected to the excitation signal generator during a predetermined time interval, in which the excitation integrator and/or excitation averager may comprise a capacitor for receiving, during said predetermined time interval, a current which is representative for the biasing current corresponding with the excitation signal.
  • the controller may be adapted for determining an amount of charge stored in the capacitor in that predetermined time interval.
  • the controller may be adapted for determining a sensor readout value based on the integrated or averaged readout signal and on a value indicative of a change of the amount of charge stored in the capacitor during the time interval.
  • the controller may be adapted for applying a zero-banding technique, e.g. a guard banding technique, to exclude residual transient effects in the observed sensor signal.
  • a zero-banding technique e.g. a guard banding technique
  • the controller may be adapted for controlling the detection circuit to obtain the sensor signal from the bridge sensor structure only in a further predetermined time interval during each spinning phase and for ignoring or zeroing the sensor signal during the spinning phase when outside this time interval, in which a spinning phase refers to the time in between two consecutive switching actions of the switch unit.
  • the further predetermined time interval may exclude a time frame immediately after switching to the spinning phase.
  • the further predetermined time interval may optionally also exclude a time frame immediately before switching to a next spinning phase.
  • the switch unit and the controller may be adapted for reversing a polarity of the sensed signal.
  • the controller may be adapted for controlling a conventional sensing mode of operation during a first time interval in each spinning phase and controlling a charge-integrating mode of operation during a second time interval in each of spinning phase.
  • the further time interval may be symmetrical in time with respect to a maximum of the applied excitation signal.
  • the further time interval may comprise a central part of the time corresponding to the spinning phase and may exclude start and/or end parts of the duration of the spinning phase.
  • a circuit in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may be adapted for switching between a floating-plate biasing mode of operation and a charge integrating mode of operation.
  • the present invention also relates to a sensor device comprising a bridge sensor structure, e.g. a resistive bridge sensor structure, and a circuit in accordance with embodiments of the first aspect of the present invention, in which each pair of connection terminals of the circuit is connected to corresponding terminals of the bridge sensor structure.
  • a bridge sensor structure e.g. a resistive bridge sensor structure
  • the present invention also relates to a method for biasing of a bridge sensor structure, e.g. a resistive bridge sensor structure, and reading out a signal therefrom.
  • the bridge sensor structure comprises at least two pairs of nodes, e.g. of complementary terminals.
  • the method comprises generating an electrical excitation signal for biasing the resistive bridge sensor structure, in which the excitation signal is provided as a non-constant periodic continuous function of time.
  • the method also comprises biasing a first pair of nodes of the resistive bridge sensor structure by applying the electrical excitation signal, while obtaining a sensor signal from a second pair of nodes of the resistive bridge sensor structure, e.g. from another pair of nodes that are different from the nodes of the first pair.
  • the method further comprises, e.g. substantially simultaneously, switching the electrical excitation signal from being applied to the first pair of nodes to being applied to another pair of nodes of the bridge sensor structure and switching a sensor signal from being obtained from a second pair of nodes to being obtained from another pair of nodes.
  • the method may comprise switching the first pair of nodes from being connected to receive the electrical excitation signal to being connected to obtaining the sensor signal and switching another pair of nodes, such as the second pair of nodes, from being connected to receive the sensor signal to being connected to receive the electrical excitation signal. This switching is performed at an instant in time when the excitation signal is generated in a predetermined signal range, in which range the excitation signal value is substantially equal to a zero reference value.
  • the steps of applying the electrical excitation signal and the step of obtaining the sensor signal may be repeated for different pairs of nodes selected by repeated switching at instants in time when the excitation signal is generated in the predetermined signal range.
  • Each time interval between consecutive switching actions in this repeated switching may be referred to as a spinning phase.
  • the non-constant periodic continuous function may be differentiable, continuously differentiable and/or smooth.
  • the excitation signal may be generated as a sinusoidal electrical current waveform and/or a sinusoidal voltage waveform, and/or a combination of at least two sinusoidal electrical current or voltage waveforms, e.g. A 1 .cos ( ⁇ 1 *t+c 1 )+ A 2 .cos ( ⁇ 2 *t+c 2 ), where A 1 and A 2 are amplitudes, ⁇ 1 and ⁇ 2 are angular frequencies and c 1 and c 2 are phase constants.
  • the electrical excitation signal may be generated in the form of two complementary voltages, e.g. complementary sinusoidal voltages.
  • the method may further comprise detecting each zero-crossing of a differential voltage signal, at which zero-crossing the absolute value of the difference between the two complementary voltages is zero or, alternatively, less than a predetermined tolerance threshold.
  • the step of biasing the first pair of nodes of the resistive bridge sensor structure by applying the electrical excitation signal may comprise applying the larger of the two sinusoidal voltages to the first pair of nodes.
  • the pair of nodes to which the excitation signal is applied may alternate at each detected zero-crossing, thus iterating over a plurality of spinning phases delimited in time or by the detected zero-crossings or a subset of the detected zero-crossings.
  • the resistive bridge sensor structure may be a Hall element
  • the step of detecting the sensor signal from the second pair of nodes may comprise obtaining the sensor signal in the form of a Hall plate readout signal
  • the instant in time when the switching is performed may correspond to an instant in time when a voltage over the first pair of nodes is substantially equal to zero.
  • an electrical current supplied to the first pair of nodes may be substantially equal to a zero current, e.g. may be a zero current, e.g. may have a current magnitude below a predetermined threshold, in the predetermined signal range.
  • a method in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may comprise using a low noise amplifier for amplifying the sensor signal.
  • a method in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may comprise integrating or averaging the sensor signal.
  • the step of integrating or averaging the sensor signal may comprise providing an output signal representative of a continuous-time integral or average of a momentary differential voltage signal over the second pair of nodes.
  • a method in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may comprise collecting, e.g. integrating over time or averaging in time, a total charge flowing through the first pair of nodes during a predetermined time interval.
  • a method in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may comprise determining a sensor readout value based on the integrated or averaged readout signal and on a value indicative of the amount of charge stored in the capacitor.
  • the step of obtaining the sensor signal may comprise obtaining the sensor signal only in a further predetermined time interval during each spinning phase.
  • the step of obtaining the sensor signal may comprise ignoring or zeroing the sensor signal during the spinning phase when outside the further predetermined time interval.
  • the further predetermined time interval may exclude a time frame immediately after switching to the spinning phase, e.g. the present spinning phase.
  • the present invention relates to a circuit for biasing a bridge sensor structure, e.g. a resistive bridge sensor structure, and for reading out a sensor signal from that bridge sensor structure.
  • the circuit comprises at least two pairs of connection terminals, in which each pair of connection terminals is adapted for connecting to complementary terminals of the bridge sensor structure.
  • complementary terminals may form electrical connections to opposite contacts of the bridge structure, e.g. opposite with respect to a center of a cross-shaped, star-shaped or circular bridge sensor structure.
  • the circuit also comprises an excitation signal generator for generating an electrical excitation signal for biasing and/or exciting the bridge sensor structure, in which the excitation signal is provided as a non-constant periodic continuous function of time.
  • the circuit comprises a detection circuit for obtaining the sensor signal from the bridge sensor structure by electrically connecting the detection circuit to any pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals while applying the excitation signal to another pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals.
  • the circuit also comprises a switch unit for switching the electrical excitation signal generated by the excitation signal generator from being supplied to a first pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals to another pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals and for switching the detection circuit from being connected to a second pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals to another pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals. For example, both switching of the first pair to another pair and switching the second pair to another pair may be executed simultaneously, but embodiments of the present invention are not necessarily limited thereto.
  • the switch unit may for example be adapted for switching the first pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals from being connected to the excitation signal generator to being connected to the detection circuit.
  • the circuit also comprises a controller for controlling the switch unit to switch the first pair from being connected to the excitation signal generator at an instant in time when the excitation signal generator generates the excitation signal in a predetermined signal range, in which range the excitation signal value is close to a zero reference value of the excitation signal, e.g. in which the excitation is substantially equal to a zero reference, e.g. is equal to a zero reference within a tolerance.
  • the resistive bridge sensor structure may for example comprise a Wheatstone bridge.
  • the resistive bridge sensor structure may for example comprise a Hall element, e.g. a Hall plate.
  • the resistive bridge sensor structure may comprise an XMR bridge, e.g. a bridge sensor based on a magnetoresistive effect, such as a giant magnetoresistance effect, a tunnel magnetoresistance effect and/or an anisotropic magnetoresistance effect.
  • a circuit in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may also be adapted for biasing other types of bridge sensor structure, e.g. a capacitive bridge sensor.
  • the circuit comprises at least two pairs of connection terminals 3, in which each pair of connection terminals is adapted for connecting to complementary terminals of the resistive bridge sensor structure 2.
  • connection terminal pairs may equal two, but may also equal a number N > 2.
  • the circuit may be adapted for biasing a multi-contact circular Hall element, e.g. a circular vertical Hall element.
  • Embodiments of the present invention may also relate to a sensor device 10 comprising a bridge sensor structure, e.g. a resistive bridge sensor structure 2, for example as described hereinabove, and a circuit 1 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, in which each pair of connection terminals 3 of the circuit is connected to corresponding terminals of the bridge sensor structure 2.
  • a bridge sensor structure e.g. a resistive bridge sensor structure 2
  • a circuit 1 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, in which each pair of connection terminals 3 of the circuit is connected to corresponding terminals of the bridge sensor structure 2.
  • the circuit 1 comprises an excitation signal generator 4 for generating an electrical excitation signal for biasing and/or exciting the bridge sensor structure.
  • the electrical excitation signal may be an electrical current or a voltage.
  • the excitation signal generator 4 is adapted for generating, e.g. generates in operation of the circuit, the excitation signal as a non-constant periodic continuous function of time.
  • Non-constant may refer to the exclusion of a substantially constant function, e.g. that has no significant time-dependence.
  • Continuous may refer to the continuity of the function, as function of time, in the mathematical sense.
  • Periodic may refer to a repetitive nature of the signal as function of time. The range of this function comprises a zero reference value of the excitation signal, e.g. a zero current value or a reference voltage value, e.g. a zero voltage..
  • This periodic continuous function of time may have a positive maximum signal value and a negative minimum signal value, e.g. respectively positive and negative with respect to a zero reference level such as a uniform reference voltage of the resistive bridge sensor structure, e.g. a uniform reference voltage of the Hall plate.
  • a zero reference level such as a uniform reference voltage of the resistive bridge sensor structure, e.g. a uniform reference voltage of the Hall plate.
  • the positive maximum signal value and the negative minimum signal value may be different, e.g. such that the excitation signal is a non-constant function of time that crosses a zero level, e.g. the zero reference value.
  • the zero reference value may correspond to an extremum of the function, or the zero reference value may be close to an extremum of the function, e.g.
  • the zero reference value being at a distance to an extremum that is in a range of 0% to 10%, preferably in a range of 0% to 5%, in a range of 0% to 2% or even in a range of 0% to 1%, relative to the full range of the function.
  • the periodic continuous function may express the electrical current or the voltage as a function of time.
  • the periodic continuous function may be differentiable, e.g. continuously differentiable.
  • the periodic continuous function may be smooth. References to "continuous”, “differentiable” and “smooth” may preferably refer to a mathematical definition of those terms.
  • the excitation signal generator 4 may comprise a waveform generator.
  • the waveform generator may be adapted for generating the excitation signal, e.g. a voltage as function of time or a current as function of time, at a predetermined frequency or a predetermined combination of frequencies.
  • the periodic continuous function may be a periodic continuous trigonometric function.
  • the excitation signal generator may be adapted for generating a sinusoidal excitation signal, e.g. for generating a sinusoidal electrical current waveform and/or a sinusoidal voltage waveform.
  • the circuit comprises a detection circuit 5 for obtaining the sensor signal from the bridge sensor structure by electrically connecting the detection circuit to any pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals 3 acting as a connection to a pair of sensing nodes of the bridge sensor structure while the excitation signal is applied to another pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals 3 acting as a connection to a pair of excitation nodes of the bridge sensor structure.
  • the detection circuit 5 may comprise a low noise amplifier for amplifying the sensor signal.
  • the detection circuit 5 may comprise a continuous-time integrator or averager for integrating or averaging the sensor signal, e.g. integrating or averaging an electrical quantity acquired via the pair of connection terminals acting as connection to the pair of sensing nodes.
  • this electrical signal may be an electrical current or an electrical voltage.
  • the continuous time integrator or averager may be adapted for providing an output signal representative of a continuous-time integral or average of the momentary differential voltage signal over the pair of sensing nodes.
  • embodiments of the present invention may relate to a device as described in European patent application EP 17154758.1, filed on February 6th, 2017 .
  • the detection circuit 5 may comprise a continuous time integrator or averager as disclosed in said application, and/or the circuit may comprise a biasing circuit, comprising a first and/or second capacitor, and/or a control unit as disclosed therein, wherein the biasing current I bias for the biasing circuit may be supplied by the excitation signal generator 4.
  • the circuit 1 also comprises a switch unit 6 for switching the electrical excitation signal generated by the excitation signal generator from being supplied to a first pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals to another pair, e.g. the second pair referred to further hereinbelow or a different pair, of the at least two pairs of connection terminals and for switching the detection circuit from being connected to a second pair of said at least two pairs of connection terminals to (yet) another pair, which may be the first pair or a different pair, of the at least two pairs of connection terminals.
  • a switch unit 6 for switching the electrical excitation signal generated by the excitation signal generator from being supplied to a first pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals to another pair, e.g. the second pair referred to further hereinbelow or a different pair, of the at least two pairs of connection terminals and for switching the detection circuit from being connected to a second pair of said at least two pairs of connection terminals to (yet) another pair, which may be the first pair or a different pair,
  • the switch unit may be adapted for switching a first pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals from being connected to the excitation signal generator 4 to being connected to the detection circuit 5, e.g. such that nodes of the resistive bridge sensor structure connected to this pair of connection terminals switch from being used as excitation nodes to being used as sensing nodes.
  • the switch unit 6 may be adapted for switching a second pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals from being connected to the detection circuit 5 to being connected to the excitation signal generator 4, e.g. simultaneously with switching the first pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals from being connected to the excitation signal generator 4 to being connected to the detection circuit 5.
  • the switching unit 6 may be adapted for switching the first pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals from being connected to the detection circuit 5 to being connected to the excitation signal generator 4.
  • the switching from the first pair to another pair and the switching from the second pair to another pair may be performed simultaneously, but embodiments of the present invention are not necessarily limited thereto.
  • the at least two pairs of connection terminals may comprise two pairs of connection terminals for connecting respectively to two pairs of terminals of the bridge sensor structure.
  • the bridge nodes of each pair may be arranged opposite of each other, e.g. along a line that is perpendicular to the line on which the other pair of nodes are arranged.
  • an excitation signal may be applied to either node pair while sensing a sensor signal using the other pair.
  • the switch unit 6 and the controller 7 may be adapted for switching connections of the pairs of connection terminals to the excitation signal generator and the detection circuit such that either pair can act as sensing nodes while the other pair can act as excitation nodes.
  • the switch unit 6 and the controller 7 may be adapted for interchanging the nodes of each pair in such connection, e.g. such as to reverse polarity of the sensed signal.
  • the circuit 1 also comprises a controller 7 for controlling the switch unit 6 to switch the first pair from being connected to the excitation signal generator at an instant in time when the excitation signal generator 4 generates the excitation signal in a predetermined signal range, in which the excitation signal value in this range is close to a zero reference value of the excitation signal, e.g. substantially equal to the zero reference value, e.g. in a predetermined tolerance range around the zero reference value.
  • the predetermined signal range may cover less than 10% of the full range of the generated excitation signal, e.g. less than 5%, e.g. less than 2%, e.g. less than 1%.
  • a voltage over the first pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals may be substantially equal to a uniform reference voltage of the resistive bridge sensor structure, e.g. of the Hall plate.
  • an electrical current supplied to the first pair of the at least two pairs of connection terminals as excitation signal may be substantially equal to a zero current, e.g. equal to a zero current.
  • the switch unit 6 and/or the controller 7 may be adapted for implementing a spinning technique as known in the art, e.g. for biasing and readout of a Hall plate.
  • This spinning may refer to an operation in which readout of the sensor element is performed in phases, where excitation nodes and readout nodes switch roles in subsequent phases.
  • the switch unit 6 and the controller 7 may be adapted for implementing a spinning method such that excitation nodes and sensing nodes of the bridge are rotated in opposite directions in each consecutive step of the spinning method.
  • the excitation signal generator 4 may generate the excitation signal as a periodic continuous time-varying signal, e.g. an excitation electrical current I ex (t).
  • the controller 7 and the switch unit 6 may electrically switch connection of the excitation signal generator 4 from being applied over a first pair of nodes A,C of the bridge element in a first phase 21 to being applied over a second pair of nodes B,D in a second phase 22, to being applied over the first pair of nodes A,C in a third phase 23 and to being applied to the second pair of nodes B,D in a fourth phase 24.
  • the controller 7 and the switch unit 6 may electrically switch connection of the detection circuit 5 from receiving the sensor signal from the second pair of nodes B,D of the bridge element in the first phase 21 to receiving the sensor signal from the first pair of nodes A,C in a second phase 22, to receiving the sensor signal from the second pair of nodes B,D in the third phase 23 and to receiving the sensor signal from the first pair of nodes A,C in the fourth phase.
  • the phases 21,22,23,24 may be performed consecutively in the described order, and the procedure may be repeated by restarting at the first phase 21 after the fourth phase 24.
  • the excitation signal generator 4 may be adapted for generating an electrical excitation signal for biasing the resistive bridge sensor structure in the form of two complementary voltages, V ex+ and V ex- , for example complementary sinusoidal voltages.
  • a spinning phase transition may be initiated by the controller 7, e.g. by controlling the switch unit 6.
  • the switch unit and the controller may be adapted for applying the larger of the two excitation voltages to a pair of the connection terminals, where the selected pair for applying the excitation signal alternates at each spinning phase transition between the spinning phases spin A, spin B, spin C, spin D. It is an advantage of such push-only excitation that a floating-plate biasing loop can be made pull-only, thus allowing a simple implementation.
  • the circuit 1 may also comprise an excitation integrator and/or excitation averager 8.
  • This excitation integrator and/or excitation averager may determine an average bias current and/or a total charge flowing through the pair of nodes used for excitation during a time interval, e.g. during a single spinning phase or a predetermined fraction of the time of a single spinning phase, e.g. during half of the time of a single spinning phase.
  • the controller 7 may be adapted for controlling a conventional sensing mode of operation ⁇ 1 during a first time interval in each spinning phase and controlling a charge-integrating mode of operation ⁇ 2 during a second time interval in each spinning phase.
  • the excitation integrator and/or excitation averager 8 may comprise a capacitor connected such as to allow a biasing current corresponding to the excitation signal to flow through the resistive sensor structure and into the capacitor during a predetermined time interval.
  • the controller may be adapted for determining an amount of charge stored in the capacitor in this time interval.
  • the controller may be adapted for determining a sensor readout value based on the integrated or averaged readout signal and on a value indicative of the charge stored in the capacitor.
  • the controller 7 may be adapted for controlling the detection circuit 5 to obtaining the sensor signal from the resistive bridge sensor structure only in a predetermined time interval during each spinning phase, e.g. for ignoring the sensor signal during the spinning phase when outside this time interval.
  • the time interval may exclude a time frame immediately after switching to the spinning phase and/or a time frame immediately before switching to the next spinning phase.
  • the time interval may be symmetrical in time with respect to a maximum of the applied excitation signal.
  • the time interval may comprise of a central part of the time corresponding to the spinning phase and exclude start and/or end parts of the time corresponding to the spinning phase.
  • the controller may be adapted for applying a zero-banding technique to exclude residual transient effects in the observed sensor signal, for example.
  • the sensor signal may be obtained, e.g. integrated or averaged, from the resistive bridge sensor structure only in a predetermined time interval AVG during each spinning phase.
  • the time intervals T z /2 immediately after switching to each spinning phase and immediately prior to switching to the next spinning phase may thus be excluded from the sensor signal acquisition time frame AVG. Since switching is performed near the zero-crossings 33, e.g. at the zero-crossings taking a margin of tolerance into account, the magnitude of switching spikes can be advantageously low, such that the time interval T z in which zero-banding is applied can be small.
  • An implementation of the detection of a zero-crossing of the excitation signal may be limited in accuracy, e.g. due to an amplifier offset, which may drift, and a limited bandwidth when detecting the zero-crossing moments with an analog comparator. Also, mismatch in charge injection from the switch unit may result in residual spikes being present.
  • V H is a Hall voltage to be determined
  • R H .
  • C H is a dominant RC time constant of the Hall element having a resistance R H and a parasitic capacitance C H
  • V n represents noise
  • V bias (t 0 ) is the bias voltage that is present at the readout nodes just prior to the transition into the current spinning phase, e.g. due to a prior use as excitation nodes.
  • an additional factor cos ⁇ ⁇ 2 1 ⁇ ⁇ can be observed when comparing the averaging operation for a sinusoidal bias current to a constant bias current.
  • This factor is illustrated in FIG 6 . Since this factor is larger than 1 in substantially all situations in which zero-banding is applied, the effective Hall signal indicative of the magnetic field B to be detected also has larger magnitudes, and a better signal-to-noise ratio can be obtained, compared to when a constant bias current having the same average value is used. Due to a better bias current concentration, the amplification of subsequent gain stages in a sensor device may be lowered, and the error sources in ⁇ V RO > may have less impact.
  • n T s / ⁇ expresses the spinning phase time in a number of RC time constants.
  • ⁇ RO , rms 1 ⁇ ⁇ cos ⁇ ⁇ 2 ⁇ 0 e ⁇ ⁇ 2 n ⁇ e ⁇ 1 ⁇ ⁇ 2 n 1 ⁇ ⁇ n 2 + 1 1 ⁇ ⁇ .
  • FIG 7 illustrates optimum zero-banding fractions ⁇ , determined numerically, as a function of the parameter n .
  • the solid lines represent the case of sinusoidal excitation signals, and the dashed lines represent the case of constant bias currents. Curves are shown for v 0 values of 1, 10, 100, 1000, 10000 and 100000. These plots show that for equal v 0 , a longer zero-banding time may be needed in the case of sinusoidal excitation.
  • the switching occurs in the middle of the zero-band interval, as compared to at the start of the zero-band interval for the constant excitation case, and thus only half of the time is available for exponential decay.
  • the corresponding v 0 value may be orders of magnitude smaller, and so comparison should be preferably made w.r.t. curves more to the left.
  • FIG 8 illustrates optimum RMS factors, determined numerically and normalized relative to the noise RMS when averaging over the full spin phase time, as a function of the parameter n .
  • the solid lines represent the case of sinusoidal excitation signals, and the dashed lines represent the case of constant bias currents. Curves are shown for v 0 values of 1, 10, 100, 1000, 10000 and 100000. For the same v 0 , sinusoidal excitation and abrupt switching of a constant bias current are competitive, the best option depending on the number n of available time constants. Sinusoidal excitation therefore can outperform abrupt switching of a constant bias current for equal v 0 , e.g. due to a current concentration effect for boosting the Hall signal when the readout signal is acquired.
  • FIG 4 shows an exemplary circuit diagram of part of a circuit in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
  • the switch unit 6 and the controller 7 are not shown, thus providing a static view of equivalent operation of the circuit 1 in a single phase of a spinning approach in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
  • the circuit may function in a floating-plate biasing mode, e.g. similar to alternatives described in European Patent EP 2722682 .
  • the excitation signal generator 4 supplies the excitation signal, e.g. a voltage V ex or current I ex , which is applied via a first terminal of a pair of connection terminals, configured by the switch unit 6 in accordance with the present spinning phase, to a first excitation node of the bridge element 2, e.g. the Hall plate.
  • the error may be used for adapting a sinking current applied by M 5 to a second excitation node, by changing a control voltage V cntrl .
  • This feedback loop may be stabilized by capacitors C c1 and C c2 .
  • the electrical excitation signal may be generated as two complementary voltages, e.g. a first voltage supplied by a voltage source V ex and a complementary second voltage supplied to the other node of the excitation node pair by the circuit as described hereinabove.
  • the present invention also relates to a method for biasing of a bridge sensor structure, e.g. a resistive bridge structure such as a Wheatstone bridge or a Hall sensor structure, and reading out a signal therefrom.
  • the bridge sensor structure comprises at least two pairs of nodes, e.g. electrically connecting to pairs of contacts of the bridge structure in which the contacts of each pair may be oppositely arranged with respect to a center of the bridge structure, e.g. of a cross, star or circle shaped bridge sensor structure.
  • FIG 9 a method 100 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention is shown.
  • the method 100 comprises generating 101 an electrical excitation signal for biasing the bridge sensor structure, in which the excitation signal is provided as a non-constant periodic continuous function of time.
  • the method also comprises biasing and/or exciting 102 a first pair of nodes of the bridge sensor structure by applying the electrical excitation signal, while obtaining 103 a sensor signal from a second pair of nodes of the bridge sensor structure, e.g. from another pair of nodes that are different from the nodes of the first pair.
  • the method further comprises, e.g. substantially simultaneously, switching 104 the electrical excitation signal from being applied to the first pair of nodes to being applied to another pair of nodes and switching a sensor signal from being obtained from a second pair of nodes to being obtained from another pair of nodes, e.g.
  • the steps of biasing 102 by applying the electrical excitation signal and the step of obtaining 103 the sensor signal may be repeated 105 for different pairs of nodes in each iteration, the different pairs of nodes being selected by repeated switching 104 at instants in time when the excitation signal is generated in the predetermined signal range.
  • Each time interval between consecutive switching actions, e.g. each iteration, in this repeated switching may be referred to as a spinning phase.
  • the non-constant periodic continuous function may be differentiable, continuous differentiable and/or smooth.
  • the excitation signal may be generated 101 as a sinusoidal electrical current waveform and/or a sinusoidal voltage waveform.
  • the electrical excitation signal may be generated 101 in the form of two complementary voltages, e.g. complementary sinusoidal voltages.
  • the method may further comprise detecting each zero-crossing of a differential voltage signal, at which zero-crossing the absolute value of the difference between the two complementary voltages is zero or, alternatively, less than a predetermined tolerance threshold.
  • the step of biasing 102 the first pair of nodes of the bridge sensor structure by applying the electrical excitation signal may comprise applying the larger of the two sinusoidal voltages to the first pair of nodes.
  • the pair of nodes to which the excitation signal is applied may alternate at each detected zero-crossing, thus iterating over a plurality of spinning phases delimited in time by the detected zero-crossings.
  • the resistive bridge sensor structure may be a Hall element
  • the step of obtaining 103 the sensor signal from the second pair of nodes may comprise obtaining the sensor signal in the form of a Hall plate readout signal
  • the instant in time when the switching 104 is performed may correspond to an instant in time when a voltage over the first pair of nodes is substantially equal to a zero reference voltage of the Hall element.
  • an electrical current supplied to the first pair of nodes may be substantially equal to a zero current, e.g. may be a zero current, e.g. may have a current magnitude below a predetermined threshold, in the predetermined signal range.
  • a method in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may comprise using a low noise amplifier for amplifying the sensor signal.
  • a method in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may comprise integrating or averaging the sensor signal.
  • the step of integrating or averaging the sensor signal may comprise providing an output signal representative of a continuous-time integral or average of a momentary differential voltage signal over the second pair of nodes.
  • a method in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may comprise determining, e.g. by integrating over time or averaging in time, an average bias current and/or a total charge flowing through the first pair of nodes during a predetermined time interval.
  • a method in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may comprise determining a sensor readout value based on the integrated or averaged readout signal and on a value indicative of the amount of charge stored in the capacitor.
  • the step of obtaining 103 the sensor signal may comprise obtaining the sensor signal only in a further predetermined time interval during each spinning phase.
  • the step of obtaining 103 the sensor signal may comprise ignoring or zeroing the sensor signal during the spinning phase when outside the further predetermined time interval.
  • the further predetermined time interval may exclude a time frame immediately after switching 104 to the spinning phase, e.g. the present spinning phase, and a time frame immediately before switching to a next spinning phase.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Technology Law (AREA)
  • Measuring Magnetic Variables (AREA)
  • Transmission And Conversion Of Sensor Element Output (AREA)
  • Measuring Instrument Details And Bridges, And Automatic Balancing Devices (AREA)
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US15/962,266 US11255696B2 (en) 2017-04-28 2018-04-25 Bridge sensor biasing and readout
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CN111707297A (zh) * 2019-03-18 2020-09-25 纮康科技股份有限公司 传感器补偿电路
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CN108801298A (zh) 2018-11-13
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CN108801298B (zh) 2021-08-24
US11255696B2 (en) 2022-02-22

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